Bubbles' One Year Sobriety Speech | The Wire | HBO

[@HBO]

Check out another clip from The Wire here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jmqnhKeCgMZ8ack

[@MarcillaSmith]

2:12 - the "thirteenth step"

[@atavax6094]

“aint no shame in holding onto grief, as long as you make room for other things too” makes me cry every time.

[@Volition1001]

I just finished the show for the first time over the weekend. That line had me tearing up honestly

[@howardboyd6326]

that line may have saved my life. continues to this day. only way I found life worth living.

[@reginaldd.paperstacks194]

Same man hits hard the way he says it as well

[@Trowa90]

​@@howardboyd6326 Amen Brother 😢 I feel so close to this clip Not ashamed to cry to this. Feeling my own grief while hearing Bubbles speak.

[@Junior-fd8ux]

That’s deep

[@AA-qb7ni]

I'm just glad Bubbles got a happy ending. Watching him recover was so heartwarming to see.

[@FEWGEE1]

Yeah. Especially considering how rare happy endings were in this show...

[@alisong826]

Plus he is one of the few character who gets better/grows because he wants to rather someone forcing him to 💓

[@Logan7281X]

I wish Duquan had gotten at least a good ending. His ending shook me.

[@theyrecousins]

Whenever I watch that scene and he walks to the top of the stairs, the water works kick in

[@maxsch8454]

Bubbles? You mean Reginald

[@fleshcookie]

Andre Royo should have won an Emmy for his performance in The Wire.

[@scriptguru4669]

He won a "street Oscar", during filming a real life dealer saw him, convinced he was a user, gave him free testers.

[@honeymarku5]

@@scriptguru4669 he needed that PANDEMIC!

[@XxTheGoOfYxX]

@@honeymarku5 WMD!

[@judyhopps9380]

@@XxTheGoOfYxX Reginald got the 'Connect'

[@judyhopps9380]

@@engineeertf2 "What about Eggy Mule?"

[@dmwalter9004]

to me, Bubbles is the most important character in the Wire. for a show whose main message is essentially that the system is horribly messed up and nearly impossible to change, Bubs serves as a beacon of light saying that individual change *is* possible and worth striving for.

[@Throwin_pesos]

And Naymond, to a lesser extent imo

[@billybatts8283]

Clay Davies. People like him leave the house and by the time they reach the end of the street their pockets are empty from all the charity.

[@johngilmore697]

The only sad thing about Bubbles cleaning himself up is never seeing "Reginald" introduce himself to McNulty and Kima.

[@johngilmore697]

@@flowmv So, here we are in a region of Australia where, out of the world's ten most deadly snakes, nine of 'em inhabit this region...

[@flowmv]

​@@johngilmore697 Lol I was quoting Clay Davies adding on to @billybatts8283 's comment. But yeah, sort of goes with bubbles too.

[@criticalbill7715]

Bubbles was the eye of the storm in the series. He was the perfect metaphor for redemption through perseverance. You never forgot him, always wanting him to succeed and get clean. Wonderfully written and acted character that makes The Wire one of the best series ever created.

[@jacobp8294]

This show had encapsulated more than character arcs on an individual scale, but how these characters are developed on a systemic scale. Duquans development into a younger addict version of bubbles, the display of how different people manage their addictions, and how some like bubbles find redemption and escape the cycle to find a better life. The cycles and characters developed displayed such a wide understanding of how these traits come to be, it is amazing they managed to do so.

[@DodderingOldMan]

Yes! I've called him the heart of the show, so yeah, I definitely agree. It's an ensemble show, but if it has a central character, it's Bubbs.

[@cissy2194]

This never fails to tear me up. No matter how many times I watch it. One of the best developed characters EVER!

[@robertslugg8361]

I think being invited upstairs was more powerful.

[@Tobias-Fünke]

@@robertslugg8361 same

[@Eli-hd1yo]

@@robertslugg8361 yesssss 🥺🥺 I cried so much!

[@VtRD]

Andre Royo says in the 20th anniversary podcast he was a stage actor in NYC before this and Bubbles wasn't his cup of tea. His agent told him he needed TV exposure, so he needed to audition. He got several call backs. Deservedly.

[@jbliggidy123]

I honestly don’t know how this show managed to develop sooooo many characters in only the few seasons it was on, greatest show ever

[@footballsimonjes]

The woman saying "it's alright" just when he needed it. Everything about this scene really is worthy of any awards that didn't happen.

[@ryanbesco8067]

Awards mean nothing, this show proves it. Put the respect where it’s deserved. The show deserves it, not the award.

[@abn_tx]

“Obliged” 😅 Always loved when he said that

[@jimrockfish1875]

Classy response in the circumstances

[@AGRACUTA]

"Ain't no shame in holding on to grief, as long as you make room for other things, too." I try and remember this through my grief.

[@yamabushi170]

8 years later I still feel the pain of grief. But the line is so true, over time I learned to make space for other things that make life worth living

[@SARGEHALO666v2]

This scene is powerful. Don’t let the grief and the mistakes you’ve done prevent you from trying one more time to be better than yesterday. Good stuff HBO. Please continue to make series like this one. We always need them.

[@brandonethereal1084]

🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@patrickechatah7860]

I don’t know if I can break free from this

[@hbrotha1866]

@@patrickechatah7860 I know exactly what you mean. I’ve been stuck in a spiral for a while now. Absolutely disgusted with my behaviour.

[@cristiant6566]

@@hbrotha1866 we all free fall at times. when that moment comes, an oppertunity for change, leap into it head first and dont look back. good luck and god bless

[@yoshui_ttv]

@@hbrotha1866I’ve been there. Just the other day o was walking home but I felt myself free for the first time in a while. My situation in life is actually worse than it has been for a while, routinely ill, low on cash and opportunity, still dealing with the issues but I was happy. I could think, and plan around the things I want to deal with. There’s only so long you can berate yourself over the same issues. At one point we need to face the conclusion we came to a long time back. Don’t know either of you but I felt compelled to respond, I hope things are better than when you posted and if not, I hope that change is around the corner. You don’t deserve it, only good people suffer this way.

[@Deephouse_Gent66]

"I left a trail of fire behind me." That line spoke mega volumes. Great scene from an excellent series.

[@douglasjay9561]

Having bubbles not only survive but recover is one of the best thing the writers could have ever done.

[@basementvybz309]

The Wire is the perfect example of why award shows mean nothing

[@Eli-hd1yo]

Wait this show didn’t win any awards? 😨😨😨

[@NewWesternFront]

@@Eli-hd1yo yes i give it the good show award

[@jasminehill6312]

Nope!

[@martindg93]

Then why you are bringing it up then?

[@adrianmolina821]

@@Eli-hd1yodidn’t win an Emmy.., it won some awards for screenwriting but from lesser known award entities…

[@milkywayrocks]

I remember the first time seeing the scene. About five different emotions were going on: surprised (that Bubbles got clean), happy (that he stayed that way), touched (because of his story), sad (that the series was coming to an end), and content (that Bubbles has a good ending). Masterpiece of a show.

[@Jay-qm8cx]

It’s makes me happy that someone in The Wire carried the memory of Sherrod in their heart, a person who didn’t have a family.

[@irwin7]

In grad school we had to watch season 2 b/c the Wire's depiction of Baltimore PD's org structure was so accurate, it was worth studying. For a final project, a classmate of mine was able to get in touch with the actor who played bubbles on facebook, and the dude was gracious enough to answer all his questions. It blew all of us away. This was about a decade ago, so I don't remember it in detail, but the actor's responses to questions so thoughtful and poignant. Listening to him talk in this scene reminded me of sitting in class that day. Awesome scene, awesome show.

[@artofsoul]

The perfect reason why everyone should support writers. The shows writers understood the assignment and delivered. If I didn't know better I swear the writers were drug dealers/addicts, ex-cons or thugs, that is how convincing their writing was. A masterpiece.

[@Gannoh]

The showrunners were very in-tune with life in Baltimore, with one being a reporter and the other being a cop

[@artofsoul]

@@Gannoh - Thank you for that insight, that explains a lot about the show.

[@LAvision]

@@Gannoh true, I believe the guy that omar portrayed was an actor in the show. He was that pastor that Bunny debated with.

[@stephengrigg5988]

​@@LAvisionI don't think it was Omar, I'm pretty sure Avon was based on him. From my memory he served somewhere around 30 years and then dedicated his life to getting other people off the corners. The actress that played snoop was essentially just playing herself too, she was looking at 20 years for drug running at one point and is from Baltimore. I know Keema's actor was having panic attacks in the first season from being back in the projects, since they shot on location(I think that's why she comes off so stiff in her first scene). Almost all of the smaller roles were stunt casting, where they just used people from the area(I'd bet my life Waylon is an actual NA member and speaker). That's why the show seems so authentic, because it is.

[@brmbkl]

@@LAvision the character Omar was based off the guy who helped him in prison. The pastor was indeed the guy they base Avon on.

[@baverfjant]

I might be remembering things all wrong but. This feels like one of very few scenes, maybe a handful if even that, where the sun is shining and it looks like a genuinely nice day. Fits perfectly with the new, clean Bubbles that's coming onto the scene.

[@stephengrigg5988]

I don't think you're off with the symbolism. In the first season when he's trying to get clean, he's fiending on a bench watches kids play(blowing bubbles) and looks up at the sky and watches the birds. There's another, albeit, more depressing one too. After Stringer finds out he got played by Clay Davis he sits on a bench and thinks. The framing of the shot shows the capitol building, bright and in the sun, with Stringer sitting in a tunnel in the dark. He's realizing that Avon was right, and that he's never going to reach his dream of being a legitimate businessman, his place is the shadows of the underworld, and he has no way out.

[@kaiz3nberg]

This is hands down the greatest show in the history of mankind. It will never be topped. Thank you for this David and all the actors who brought his vision to life.

[@petegonad]

Nah, Sopranos

[@johnbrown8570]

@@petegonadnah sopranos is good but it doesn’t hold a candle to the wire. IMO it’s The Wire then Breaking Bad then The Sopranos.

[@calvin6314]

I love breaking bad and the wire

[@BaileysMariner]

2:12 is a very important moment, beyond the fun of her flirting with him. She says "I would have got up with you *Reginald*, you can believe that." I see it as important because using his first name implies she (and the rest of the group) don't see him as Bubbles any more.

[@vanhoot2234]

good points

[@Onigirli]

But did she ever even refer to him as Bubbles before?

[@tennesseewilliams101]

@@Onigirlino one knew his actual name before. If his sponsor didn’t even know Bubbles’ real name you can bet no one else there knew.

[@ericpeffley3810]

I have to put my dog down today. Named Bubbles after the character with the most redemptive arc on The Wire. He actually got to meet the actor a few years ago at Christmas time outside a Med Men in Weho. I don’t know why but I thought it would be comforting to watch this.

[@cward1701]

I wanted to let you know that you're not screaming into the void. 13 days and no replies made my heart hurt. I have watched 4 of my beloved dogs be put to sleep. It's the worst feeling in the world because it was my decision. But take solace today that it was the right decision. They trust us to do the right thing and we must honor that trust to the very end. The hurts fades with time, but the happy memories last forever. God bless you in your time of grief.

[@zackspiker_]

Sorry about your dog man, fantastic he got to meet Andre. Be well.

[@Masterho310]

"Ain't no shame in holdin onto grief, as long as you make room for other things too" -Bubbles one of the most powerful quotes in the entire series. By this point we've seen everything bubbles has gone through. He's one of the few characters who was able to survive and come out the other side as a better man. I think about the wire a lot. I think about bubbles a lot. I watched this series before I got sober and after I got sober. This scene still makes me emotional over a decade later.

[@davidhilliardmusic]

I love watching great acting like this. 2:47 Waylon's expression shows the weight of what is coming from Bubbles. It somehow makes it hit harder. Every part in this show big or small had great actors.

[@yushpeaceandlove]

Hands down the best show to ever have been made. Thank you for sharing.

[@zinill6249]

Tell that to Mr. Chase.

[@iicjguitar0416]

@@zinill6249 Mr. Chase wouldn't care. As long as he got his money, he could really care less what show is better than another.

[@themysteryguy85]

@@iicjguitar0416 I can’t tell if this is meant to be an insult or not

[@iicjguitar0416]

@@themysteryguy85 I actually can't remember myself, lol!

[@shriharihudli]

@@zinill6249Sopranos is amazing, yes. But the Wire is simply a cut above it, and miles above everything else.

[@fuzzbrain913]

It's pretty hard to write a character that can simultaneously be so funny and yet so heartbreaking. And andre royo is a beast of an actor

[@mr.thunder1219]

When it shows Bubbles sister finally letting him come up for dinner at the end, It always gets me. Progress is possible.

[@MissionaryyJMitch]

Finally got into The Wire and just saw this part and immediately had to come say something about Bubs man… the development of his is one of the best I’ve seen on television..

[@michaelbenn4912]

Ain't nothing wrong with holding on to grief as long as you make room for other things🔥🔥🔥

[@FEWGEE1]

I'm proud of you, Bubs. 🤜🤛

[@njsteere]

In a show full of INCREDIBLE acting, Andre Royo stood tall. Bubbles was amazing.

[@tonyrogers865]

Hands down one of the best shows ever. Bub's character was one of my favorites. Im glad he made it.

[@SirDistic]

What's great about the Wire is that it's real. Some people get happy endings. It takes work. But some don't. Bodie died. Dukie is an addict. Mike is a criminal with a ticking clock, Stringer dead, D dead, and things like that. Marlo has his money but no legacy. Randy is alive but his name is tainted. So on and so forth. It's not all happy endings. But it's real.

[@Eli-hd1yo]

This is exactly why I love this show. It’s real and raw. The truth ain’t always gonna be beautiful.

[@judyhopps9380]

Brother Mouzone got a library card

[@89five3five]

Only Baltimore remains.

[@TheRealAhoy]

​@@Eli-hd1yo Thank you, you didn't even know you were helping me but the way you said that. "The truth isn't always beautiful" is the kind of thing I needed to hear.

[@Eli-hd1yo]

@@TheRealAhoy glad to know I helped in some way 😊

[@jsbmx2039]

One of the best story arch’s in tv history. Such a cool ending for him

[@Nyfancam01]

Legendary!!!! Favorite character in the show along with Omar. Much love to everyone involved with bringing us this MASTERPIECE of a show!

[@holic_shot]

In a great show full of great actors, Andre Royo is one of the best, if not the best. This little bit here is delivered so convincingly, with highs and lows so natural and coherent, I felt like I was there in one of those chairs. I was imagining the scenes he described that we never saw in addition to his memories of Sherrod that we did witness. I feel that hurt. And thank you to whoever wrote his lines in this scene; the hurt, the grief, the room for other things too.

[@imajeepster]

Poor sweet Bubsy. One of the best characters in this brilliant show.

[@artflowerslofi2676]

Of all the lost and wasted lives I have seen from the show, bub's story serves as a compensation.

[@pawelhey265]

The dialogue in this show, and this scene in particular, flows so naturally and is really unforgettable

[@PitchfordStache]

One of the most rewarding scenes in TV history.

[@biggsw7783]

Best arch of the show

[@colleen31]

If you've never watched this show you're missing out on one of the best of all time!!!!

[@noneed4me2n7]

Miss watching this show when it aired the first time with the wife early in our marriage. Couldn’t believe what we were watching at times it was so grabbing. Stuff like this doesn’t come along often.

[@Apocalypse3434]

Bubbles made it to the end of the chess board. Bubbles was a smart-assed pawn

[@PitchfordStache]

Ain't no shame in holding onto grief--as long as you make room for other things, too. Such a great line for everyone dealing with the trauma of this world.

[@benjamintaylor3934]

"Ain't no shame in holding on to grief, as long as you make space for other stuff too" Amen! Wish I'd heard this 18 years ago ❤

[@mastod0n1]

I've been clean 6 years and 4 months. Got 7 years to go to match Lester's time in the Pawn Shop Unit, but I'll get there and then some. I tear up everytime I watch this scene.

[@kylekillgannon]

This is the resolution of one of the most heartbreaking and triumphant character arcs not just in this show but on TV. Seeing Bubs go up the steps was like seeing my own salvation.

[@Cbart23]

Can’t believe Bubbles divorced the needle.

[@fleabaguette9699]

I love the line about grief in this. I feel like grief is always made out to be something you conquer, that you fight with, with the hope that one day you'll overcome it. And I think that's fine for some people, but for a lot of people, it's not easy to look at it that way. It's okay to grieve, and maybe you'll never fully beat it, and that's okay too. Grief is love with a different name, and holding onto that love isn't a bad thing, so long as you don't let it consume you.

[@sebastianoflament9012]

One of my favorite. They really create an amazing character. Great actor, he shared so many emotions.

[@dymesgalore]

3:30 that breath... is both holding on, and letting go. That breath... is life!

[@devil_pls]

One of the best Scenes of the Show. Absolutely amazing. Maybe the most emotional moment of the Show aswell.

[@felipe3354]

Very underrated acting skills. As good or better than any Oscar winner.

[@Mcnutty924]

"My people couldn't make it here tonight. I left a trail of fire behind me. Time gonna make it right with them, I guess. Same thing get me right with myself. " This is what people are talking about when they say the Wire sounds like modern-day Shakespeare.

[@Eli-hd1yo]

Today I upset a friend and I’m very embarrassed and upset at my actions. They weren’t done out of malice or bc I don’t love my friend. It’s just a miss understanding. The reason why I’m here is bc I love when bubs says “I left a trail of fire behind me. Time gonna make it up right with them, I guess.” It’s so true. I can only pray that with time things get better and that we both heal and become friends again 😓

[@commy741]

So happy to see thirsty here...since Empire!! I so missed him.

[@samus282]

Bubbles was such a great character, he had so much personality and charm that you can't help but love him.

[@ryangibson5462]

Its amazing that the place full of people many consider to be the lowest in life, is filled with the most love and pride I've ever seen in a building. Life is beautiful sometimes.

[@redsoxfan997]

Watching this because I dont know if I’ll ever be sober while alive but this inspires me to

[@yamabushi170]

My heart breaks ever time I hear that line about grief. It never goes away.

[@vaid.]

This is a character I never thought I needed the most in the entire story. I love him. I love the actor who played it. I wish I could really meet Bubbles in real life. He is a shining light and motivation to many.

[@nothingissimplewithlloyd]

Wayland gets a really nice moment here that is so easy to overlook as we focus on Reginald coming forward for the first time beyond the “Bubbles” persona and talking about Sherrod. He’s been so worried for Bubbles, knowing that the weight of his guilt is something that can crush him at any moment, and you can see how Wayland drops his head at the mention of Sherrod. It’s like that weight is finally gone and he can hope that Reginald is going to make it, even if Wayland can’t always be there for him. Wayland can now rest a little easier knowing Reginald is standing on his own two feet. It’s a killer moment, and one that’s been coming for 5 seasons for Wayland. He’s a special person.

[@myst8217]

They lowkey best character of the show if you really paid attention & followed from the beginning.

[@scarytrafficcone12]

walon was such a real one man

[@davidbot5498]

The greatest show of all time. No comparison.

[@frozenray0079]

Recovery is the hardest thing anyone can ever do. I've never been so proud of a character on this show as Bubs

[@Ninewave1]

I keep rewarding this scene. It helped me through a lot in my life.

[@WP3636]

One of the most powerful scenes in cinematic, history. This scene has and will continue to save millions by remembering/sharing "ain't nothing wrong with holding onto grief - as long as you make room for other things, too."

[@archipiphanyworkshop860]

“Ain’t no shame in holding on to grief, just as long as you make room for other things too.”

[@shawnnesbitt9952]

can't watch this scene without shedding a tear.. Bubs arc was the most amazing of any character in any series or movie

[@theplebe6342]

Biggest heart in the entire show. No one deserved a happier ending.

[@OCBIOM]

Probably the greatest character arc/redemption story in television history

[@anatoldenevers237]

So many great arcs in this show, Prez is another one that’s just amazing

[@Llllltryytcc]

@@anatoldenevers237 prezbo went and cleant his whole ack up!

[@JohnBasedowYoda]

There is so much depth and texture in the wire. Even people in the crowd in scenes like these exude a story. Also, Steve Earle ✊

[@adohmnail6445]

What an incredible character to play and it was done so well. Incredible acting, character development.

[@larrylove6759]

It's the grief that keeps him clean

[@marquesjohnson6359]

The wire is still one of my favorite shows ,i liked bubs and was glad he got clean in the end

[@zoo05zoo]

What made The Wire so great is that they gave such depth to even secondary characters. Bubbles is obviously didn't get the screen time of McNulty, Avon, Marlo, Bunk, Stringer or even DeAngelo, Chris or Prop Joe. However, he was one of the elements of the drug scene and Sherrod's death spoke so much to the tragedy of his life.

[@stephengrigg5988]

He got as much, if not more screentime than most of the people you mentioned. I agree with what you're saying about minor characters still being great, but Bubs is a main character. He has his own plotline every season. McNulty is the main character on the side of the law, Avon String and Marlo from the criminal side, and Bubs represented the people caught in the middle

[@lifeiswonderful22]

Some people say Dookie became the new Bubbles, but maybe he became the new Sharrod...

[@waverlyphillips2849]

This show had so many dark moments, but this was one of the brighter ones. It is a disgrace this show never won any Emmys.

[@highlybaked8417]

One of the greatest written characters in television history

[@thedolt9215]

This man is an excellent actor… One of the best characters on TV!

[@achillessteals4535]

Bubble's redemption arc and the super tense newsroom scenes, Marlo's downfall and McNulty's alcohol fueled master plan, Omar's end and Snoop's goodbye etc etc. Season 5 was just as good as any other, I don't get why people rag on it

[@adeosinowo3197]

They rag on it simply because haters gotta hate! I watched 2 epsodes A night & only when i finished it did i realise how much i needed a show like this. All the way from England, some things are universal & this show is forever timeless for me.

[@robertslugg8361]

It is just natural to hate anything with the Balmer Sun in it. ;-) So in a few weeks I will be attending a Wake that will be styled after McNutty's. Now, where to find a floral arrangement like the one that Bodie bought. ;-)

[@Dragon-Slay3r]

​@@robertslugg8361 which slug is this now the frog slug slide

[@PeterEvansPeteTakesPictures]

​@@adeosinowo3197I live in Wales, but while I was watching The Wire, for however many hours every week, I was living, laughing and hurting in Baltimore.

[@liamrogers8421]

@@adeosinowo3197 It's not as simple as that. There are legitimate criticisms about Season 5. Less episodes, more one dimensional characters (like Scott), the silly aspect of the serial killer storyline. Don't get me wrong, it's still like a 1000 times better than most final seasons. But still.

[@bulletsalad6914]

Honestly one of the best scenes of the entire series.

[@keeki2206]

always makes me cry

[@TheJace456]

the wire .. man.. the greatest story ever told

[@leo-morais]

Despite all the characters, Bubbles is the heart of The Wire

[@mDelto]

There are so many characters in The Wire that could be classified as the main character. McNulty, Omar, even Michael and Bodie, but I think Bubbles is the one whose journey we've followed ever since the beginning and saw his way into his own happy ending. To me, if you can't call him the main character, he is without a doubt the heart and soul of this entire show.

[@bantehayes9973]

Sherrods death was so sad, I cry just thinking about it. Bubbles is the man for turning his life around. 1 day at a time. It's like he said. After a while it gets easier, but urges don't completely go away. It's a small fight everyday.

[@jmwild1]

Lord there was so much that led up to this scene, five seasons of it. Andre Royo was perfect.

[@ElAndresEnrique]

Simplemente MAGNIFICO.

[@wafflcoptr]

If anyone needed a happy ending on this show it was him. Thank Christ they didn't just have him relapse. We are all Bubbles in one way or another.

[@gcoleman18]

Chills 😢😊

[@SergioMendoza760]

What a genuinely heartwarming moment in an otherwise absolutely grim series about how utterly unforgiving the system is towards people in places such as Baltimore where drug dealers and crime run rampant

[@ryanbesco8067]

The wire is truly the best hidden gem in television.

[@paul-dq6lk]

This is the man I aspire to be

[@omnione12]

With all the tragedy in this series, this was one ending we all needed to have

[@WetNuudle]

I’m watching this while smoking a bowl lol

[@danshowlund]

What a show this was.

[@milossarkissian2606]

Best character ever performed/written